Backpacking meal ideas

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bare bones

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I've done a lot of long distance hiking and every ounce counts. I'll give you a few ideas that I used.

Instant Oatmeal - no brainer. But I used to bring some Strawberry Quik Mix with me to give it a strawberry flavor.

Instant Mashed Potatoes

Summer Sausage - I usually cut this up into pieces and put it in my meals

Zatarains or other rice product - It's ok if you are cooking it over a fire, but if you are using a stove you might burn through your gas pretty quickly. It all depends on how long you are out there for. I would also add some Instant Mashed Potatoes in with it to give it more carbs. You burn a lot of energy hiking.

Ramen is always a good (and light) meal to bring. As I said, you can always put some instant mashed potatoes in there to give it more carbs.

I would bring some protein powder with me too. Protein is a commodity when hiking. Same with a powdered peanut butter.

MRE's aren't a bad idea either.

Hope this helps

You can buy mountain house freeze dried meals at cabelas and on line , they actually have some that are pretty decent and only need 2 cups of boiling water

but for an over night trip in November you have lots of options

Have each kid premake a foil dinner (meat and veggies seasonings and a slab of butter , wrap it in a foil pouch, freeze and then put in a zip lock and throw in pack, by dinner time it will be partially defrosted, take out of the zip lock and throw in the hot coals

Freeze some hot dogs or sausage links and cook em on a stick over the fire

Like others said mre’s

Also canned soups and chilis can be heated next to the fire.

Tortillas and the seasoned chicken packets are an easy meal that packs flat and light

I second Mountain House meals

the shelf stable tuna in a pouch is the best thing to happen for backpackers since the framed pack

Breakfast:
Cereal in a ziplock with a scoop of instant milk
Poptarts
Breakfast bars

Lunch:
Tortillas, bagles, flatbread
Hard sausage / cheese
Peanut butter / honey

Dinner:
Tuna / Chicken pouches
Knorrs Rice / Pasta sides
Mountain House
Thanksgiving on the trail - instant potatoes, stovetop, gravy pack, chicken pouch

Snacks:
Jerky
Trail mix
Protein bars

Drinks:
Electrolyte mixes
Mio

Supposedly the Foundation meals taste better. We'll find out soon enough when we do some side by side comparisons.

I was a SM for years and raised 3 Eagle Scouts. The troop was a high adventure troop and spent a lot time hiking Bankhead and Cheaha Mountain trails. Philmont when we got a slot and several crews did several treks on the AT.
Normal weekend we usually had a base camp for brand new boys, 10 miler for junior high age and 20 miler for older boys and if we had enough adults.
On the weekend trips my boys enjoyed grilling a ribeye and baking a potato for the big meal on Saturday over coals. We would prepare them and wrap in foil and freeze them.
Zatarain's Jambalaya, Dirty Rice with smoked sausage was always easy on a camp stove.
Lunch on the trails were tuna packs, crackers, jerky, peanut butter, and dried fruit.
Breakfast Sunday morning we would fry up some thick bacon and packed in some boiled eggs.
Basecamp would have a lunch made for those coming of the trail on Sunday. Chili, stew, Dutch Oven Cobbler, etc.
Waiting on my grandsons wanting to start camping!

Lots of good suggestions already. We mostly used pre-packaged freeze dried, very convenient but can be a bit pricey.

Some of these are pretty damn good:

Good to Go
Peak Refuel
Pack It Gourmet

Skurka's bean recipe is legit.

Andrew Skurka Recipe